IN THE ASHES / j. sparrow

𝐕𝐈𝐈. up is down

"𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐈𝐃 you two become all chummy?" barbossa said in disgust as bella started over to join jack.

she turned back around. "we had a discussion, which inspired a return to our usual companionship."

"ah, that explains why you were in the cabin last night," he remarked, a mischievous grin on his face.

bella raised her eyebrows and walked over to jack without admitting anything.

she sat down beside him and peered down at the chart.

jack spun it around to form a new direction.

"up is down," bella read.

"well, that's just maddeningly unhelpful," jack squinted down at the words.

"no kidding," she said.

"why are these things never clear?" he asked rhetorically.

bella kept staring at the chart while jack looked lost in his own thoughts.

suddenly, jack's eyes lit up with understanding. "not sunset... sundown!!" he spun the tiny ship on the chart upside down.

it hit her like a slap from giselle straight across the face. she looked at jack in awe. "and rise . . ." she muttered. "up!"

jack snatched bella's arm and pulled her down to the main deck, where he ran to the rail.

"oh, what's that?" he looked out into the distance. "what's that?"

"i don't know, what is that? what do you think?" bella saw his strategy already.

"where?" asked elizabeth, coming up next to them.

"there!"

"what is it?" she said, confused.

jack and bella whipped around to run towards the other side of the ship. soon enough, everyone was following them.

"they're rockin' the ship!" pintel shouted.

"we're rockin' the ship!" repeated gibbs excitedly.

"loose the cannons, you stinking bilge rats! unstow the cargo, let it shift!" barbossa shouted below deck.

slowly, the pearl rocked further and further, until it finally turned on its head.

"now up is down," jack declared as the ship went under the water.

a green flash was suddenly visible. the pearl flipped right side up after a minute submerged.

the crew found themselves on the deck, spitting and struggling for breath.

"blessed sweet westerlies! we're back!" gibbs exclaimed.

"it's the sunrise," elizabeth observed, looking out at the horizon.

immediately, barbossa spun around and pointed one of his pistols at jack. bella, will, elizabeth, and jack all did the same. the group started to laugh nervously, and began to put their pistols away . . . sike ! they pointed their guns at each other fiercely.

jack pointed both his pistols at bella. "you killed me."

"no i didn't," she declined, sarcastically taking offense.

"yes you did," he pressed, slight grin forming.

"no i didn't," bella said again, moving both her guns to point at him.

"yes you did," jack repeated. he was smiling.

"no i didn't!" declined bella with a small laugh. she smiled back.

"yes you—"

"all right then! listen to you two, bickering like an old married couple," barbossa interrupted. jack and bella looked at each other laughingly. "the brethren court is gathering at shipwreck cove. and jack, you, bella and i are going. there'll be no arguing that point."

"i is arguing that point. if there's pirates gathering, i'm pointing my ship the other way."

"the pirates are gathering to fight beckett, and you're a pirate," elizabeth pointed out.

"fight or not," will said. "you're not running."

"if we don't stand together, they'll hunt us down one by one... till there be none left but you," barbossa finished.

"i like the sound of that," jack said, eyes gleaming. "captain jack sparrow, the last pirate."

"ah, tempting," bella stated. "but you'll be fighting jones alone. what are you going to do once he pops up? have me kill you again?"

"you admit it!" jack smirked.

"aye, but how does that figure into your plan?" barbossa asked.

"i'm still working on it," jack answered. "but i will not be going back to the locker, mate. count on that." with that, he fired his gun at barbossa. however, nothing came out of the pistol. everyone else shot theirs as well, but it was clear they could do no damage.

"wet powder," gibbs sighed as the crew situated themselves and settled back in to the regular world.

a/n

hi i'm writing u this note on monday night lol

tuesdays are going to be pretty crazy for me over the next few weeks, but i promise i'll try my best to post new chapters. if they come out late, i'm sorry !!!

anyway, thank you so much for reading this story, i still can't believe we're at 18K views. crying.

ok love you

sarah